Ammunition

Toward the end of each year, I survey the work R.K. Campbell, Roger Eckstine, Robert Sadowski, Tracey Taylor, and Joe Woolley have done in Gun Tests, with an eye toward selecting guns, accessories, and ammunition the magazine’s testers have endorsed. From these evaluations I pick the best from a full year’s worth of tests and distill recommendations for readers, who often use them as shopping guides.

A carbine and a pistol in the same chambering have much utility for personal defense, and 9mm Luger, 10mm Auto, and 45 ACP are chambered in many such combinations in semi-autos. If you live in a non-restrictive state, that’s great — enjoy. But if you live in a magazine-capacity-restricted state, or in one of the features-limited jurisdictions, then you may need a different duo, say, with a revolver and lever-action rifle.

To start, remove the baseplate from an existing OEM Glock 19 magazine. Having a baseplate removal tool makes this easier. When you take the baseplate off, be sure to capture the magazine spring with a finger.

The 40 Smith & Wesson retains a solid following among shooters looking for a hard-hitting cartridge in a 9mm package. Accuracy in quality handguns...

The 38 Special has been around since 1899. Originally loaded with a 158-grain roundnose bullet at 800 fps, the 38 Special has been regarded...

A summary of companies, and their respective websites, that currently sell ammunition and components.

The 380 ACP is a popular personal-defense handgun and has moved into territory once held firmly by the snubnose 38 Special and even the...

In the June 2019 issue, we tested a number of 22 rimfire loads in handguns. Feedback from readers was positive, and we discovered we...

Recently, a GT reader commented favorably on our ongoing ammunition testing. He liked the testing and found it informative. He wondered if we would...

  2023 HANDGUNS Items marked with an asterisk were listed in a Value Guide Beretta 21A Inox Bobcat 22 LR March 2023 Beretta 92x Performance Carry Optic J92XPCO21...

For some time Aguila has offered a mini-shotshell in 12 gauge that has found use for personal defense in smaller shotshell-firing firearms such as...

Here's a compilation of head-to-head ammunition testing conducted by Gun Tests magazine.